Let's Walk
by ginevra85
Summary: Temari is in Konoha on a liaison trip. As usual Shikamaru goes to meet her. t  They take a walk...


A.N.: They are my favourite, no doubt, and I always love to write them, so much snarkiness. Their awsomness, though, is not mine so this is a disclaimer!

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He found her on the wall that enclosed Konoha from the rest of the world. She was lounging on it, one arm behind her head, one leg bent at the knee, foot firmly planted beneath her, letting her emerald green _kimono_ with the white sash open, to expose a toned leg covered only in mesh. If he didn't know any better, he would think she was taking a page from his book and cloud-watching. He did know better, though, she was just posing in order to be the perfect picture while saying:

'You're late, Crybaby.' Her voice was perfectly pitched – deep and aggravated. Shikamaru was divided by two opposite reactions; he was both impressed by the languid line of her body, and fighting an extreme urge to laugh at her theatricality. He had no intention to show either – he had a reputation to maintain. Judging by her patented smirk, though, he wasn't very successful.

'I'm not late, woman! You're always too early! How troublesome.' To be honest, this snarky game they played since their childhood years, since that fateful _chuunin_ exam, never ceased to be funny. It was their way to say, _It's so good to see you; I've missed you every day you've been far; just hearing your voice, my heart has filled with joy and contentment; don't you ever wait this long again before coming back to me._ It would be years yet, before they took the risk to actually say those things aloud to each other, and only because they could have died and never seen the other again… But that's a story for a different time.

'So, Princess, are you coming with me or do you want me to take a picture so you can admire yourself at your leisure?' He asked sarcastically, leaning against a tree. Temari sighed heavily.

'My meeting isn't 'til tomorrow morning, why are you so irritating today? Shouldn't you be a lazy ass as usual?'

'If I recall correctly, last time we saw each other you lamented the fact that you know Konoha only when it's under some kind of stress and you couldn't imagine what we do, when it's all calm here. Wasn't that you?' Shikamaru kept his voice light, waiting for her reaction. As he expected, she perked up immediately and leaped right in front of him. She took a moment to look at him, clad in a pair of short bottle green khakis and a plain black tee.

'Are we going or what?' She looked like a kid on Christmas morning. Shikamaru had to work very hard to suppress his smile.

'Yeah. Come on.' And he walked away, hands in his pockets. Not ten seconds later he felt an arm link with his own.

'So... Where to first?' He had to give it to her – she certainly was persistent. And annoying.

'The training grounds.'

'But you said you rest on days like this!'

'We are _shinobi_, we have strange ways of resting. You should know.'

Temari nodded begrudgingly. He was admittedly right. She rested cutting hedges in the Kazekage's private garden – with her fan. Well, at least Gaara loved them.

On their way, they saw Sai painting a portrait of Lee and Gai-sensei.

'What are they doing?' Asked Temari, bewildered. 'They look ridiculous!' Shikamaru smirked and looked at her astonished face with amusement.

'I think they want him to capture the Power of Youth. I heard Gai-sensei wants the painting for his office and that Ten Ten and Neji refused to pose with them.'

Temari snorted and said she didn't blame them. They went on and after a couple minutes they met a scene that painted a look of utter tenderness on Shikamaru's face. She almost grabbed his jaw in her hands, so that she could fix the expression in her memory forever, he looked so breathtaking. Kurenai-sensei was sitting with her daughter in a patch of wild flowers, talking with the lady bugs crawling all over Shino's hands. The little girl laughed delightedly when one flew on her small pudgy hand. Shikamaru startled when he heard Temari's giggle. It took him by surprise, to hear such a girly sound come from her, who usually tried to keep her tough act on, at least in front of him.

'She's so cute! I could cuddle her forever!' She exclaimed with glee. Shikamaru kissed her temple and tugged on one of her ponytails.

'You're a dork.' He said happily and started walking again. Temari's jaw dropped and it took her a moment to be able to follow him – she was too stunned to move. Had he really just kissed her? Or was this another of her silly dreams? She pinched herself to be sure, while walking next to him again, and if he noticed, he was mercifully silent.

They had almost reached the training grounds when they saw Naruto and Chouji were sitting on the grass, eating and laughing while Naruto told some silly story, gesticulating wildly with his hands. They saw the two_ jounin_ pass by and waved them hello. Temari waved happily back and Shikamaru raised a hand in greeting. She smiled and watched her companion from the corner of her eye.

'I love those two. They always look happy and carefree. Even when they're scared and worried. I wish I could be like that.' Temari sounded wistful. Shikamaru sighed.

'That's because they're always able to see the best in the world, even if they've seen the worst in people. And Naruto… He has a light that makes you shine from the inside. If he's around, you have to be the best you can be. There's no escaping it, you want him to see the light in you too.' Shikamaru talked as if he had experienced the feeling many times. Temari looked back at the blonde and smiled.

'Yeah, I know what you mean. I owe him my brother. In more ways than one.' They fell silent until they reached the training grounds.

Next to the entrance, Iruka-sensei and Ten Ten were sharpening their impressive collection of weapons, while discussing the merits of the different kinds of exploding tags. Temari was happy to hear that Ten Ten's favourite was the kind she used, too. She recognised that the young woman knew her weapons well. Ten Ten saw her and greeted her warmly, asking her to give a hug to Kankuro for her. Temari didn't know how, but those two had become close friends, during their last joint mission.

They followed the sound of someone shouting to the grounds' centre, where they found Sakura and Kakashi-sensei locked in a furious fight. Sakura had a _kunai_ in her right hand and was pointing it to Kakashi's heart, whilst she focused her _chakra_ in her left, preparing one of her infamous punches. Kakashi blocked the knife with his left hand, lightning in his right one. They were both cut and bruised and Sakura's mouth was open in a furious roar.

'They're beautiful...' Temari had stopped to watch them, transfixed. Shikamaru looked at her shining eyes and had to laugh. She was just too precious.

'They really are.' He answered with a smile. 'They always train as if their life depended on that one fight.'

'They are dancing, Shikamaru.' She fixed her eyes on him, so intense that he almost blushed under the scrutiny. 'Can't you see it? Their dance?'

He looked at them for a moment longer, then kept moving on, intending to leave them to their 'dance'.

'There's one thing you should know about me, Princess. I see everything.' With this words he turned around again and trapped her with his eyes. Temari felt as if she was ensnared by his shadows again – and for a second she thought he could see in her, too. The moment was broken when he started walking again, a gentle smile adorning his mouth, where she couldn't see it. She sped up to reach him, giving a last look towards the field, where Sakura was healing a cut on Kakashi-sensei's shoulder. The pink-haired girl chose that moment to look up and smile at her. Temari waved once and followed the young Nara heir.

'Who's next?' She asked when she finally caught up to him. Shikamaru smirked and pointed to a patch of trees.

'Them.' He said simply. She looked up and smiled. Of course the two Hyuuga would be doing _tai chi_ under the trees. Always so elegant and flawless. 'Now _that_'s beautiful, if you ask me.' He pointed to them, to their closed eyes. 'Their synchronization. Their harmony. I've never seen anyone move like them. When they are in battle, they look incredible, as if they were two bodies ruled by a single mind. I've known them for years and I don't know how they do it, yet.'

Temari wasn't surprised that he found beauty in their serenity, while she saw it in the fury of the battle. That was who they were. It was probably the fact that they were so opposed in their way of seeing the world, that made them such a good couple. Temari startled – had she just thought _couple_?

The last ones they met were Ino, Kiba and Akamaru. The big white dog was stretched out on the grass, with a crown of daisies on his head and Ino lounging against his side. She was the one weaving daisies into crowns and necklaces, whilst Kiba sat in front of her with his legs crossed, watching her work and no doubt telling her some absurd story to make her laugh.

'What's the deal with those two?' Temari asked her companion when they spotted them on the hill. 'I thought they didn't really have patience for each other.'

'Oh, that's the official façade. Truth is, when they're alone they are practically inseparable. Believe me, I've tried. She won't even take missions with me if he's not there. He's useful, though, so...'

'So, she's in love with him.'

'What?' Shikamaru was taken aback. Temari rolled her eyes.

'Really? Are you blind, or what? Look at how he looks at her and how she listens to his stupid stories with that fond smile. You really can't see it?'

Shikamaru took a moment to look at them openly for the first time and had to admit that she was right. He had seen that glow before, when his sensei looked at Kurenai, or his father looked at his mother, or in the mirror... Before he could really think about the last one, Ino saw them and waved them over. She jumped up to hug Temari, to the older girl's surprise, and put a garland around her neck and a crown on Shikamaru's head. To everyone's delight, he didn't take it off, merely shrugged and sat next to Kiba to discuss their last mission.

'I'm happy to see you, Temari! Shikamaru was starting to become insufferable.'

'Somehow, I find it difficult to imagine.' Temari was sceptical, Ino laughed.

'If you live with him long enough, you start to recognise the signs of his changing moods.' She was being silly, trying to pick on the silent young man, but Temari felt a pang at the reminder that she didn't know him enough to be familiar with his moods.

'I've seen what everybody does here when it's peaceful.' This got a giggle from Ino and a snort from Akamaru. Temari scratched behind his ear absentmindedly. 'What I don't know, is what our dear Crybaby does when he's not cloud-watching.'

'Nowadays, he only cloud-watches when he's thinking up battle plans. If he has nothing to take care of for his mum, he usually is with Chouji and Naruto, or with Kurenai-sensei and the baby. Sometimes here with us, if he's got plans to discuss with Kiba. Unless you're in town, of course.' Ino added naughtily.

'Oh, yeah. If I'm here, he's got to work. I'm really sorry about that.' Temari looked at Shikamaru, who was now listening to Kiba with a smirk on his lips. He caught her gaze and his mouth relaxed in a smile that she returned. Ino's touch on her hand brought her attention back to the blond girl. She had a confused expression on her face.

'You think that it's his job to accompany you?' Temari frowned.

'Isn't it?'

'No!' Ino looked scandalized.

'But I always thought...'

'It never was!' She was interrupted by Ino's earnest voice. 'Never. Not even the first time you came here. He volunteered. And by now, I think you could find your way inside Konoha even without him, couldn't you?' Temari nodded, confused. 'But he comes to welcome you every time, anyway. And you wait for him at the gates, even if the guard lets you through without a second glance. Why do you think that is?'

Temari looked at Shikamaru again, at his stupid hair and his great body and saw how relaxed he was in front of her, how really at ease. Not the fake lazy front he put up for everybody else. He looked almost _happy_.

'I...' She was at a loss for words. Akamaru licked her hand gently and she smiled at him. Ino went on speaking, something tender in her voice – like affection.

'He really likes you, you know. He likes to spend time with you when you're here and misses you when you aren't. He talks about you more than I have ever heard him talk about anyone before. Even the Hokage knows that if there's a joint mission you're on, he needs to be on it, too – or he becomes a nuisance until he gets news you're safe back in Suna. You're _nakama_ now, Temari, I hope you know it. And maybe one day you'll be even more, who knows?'

Temari was fighting the tears in her eyes and the lump in her throat. She didn't think that there was someone in the world, who cared about her so much, apart from her brothers. And she cared, too. More than they could imagine.

Temari sighed and smiled softly, a weight she didn't know she was carrying gone from her shoulders. She put her back against Akamaru's side, like Ino and helped her with her herbal jewellery, while looking at the boys play with Shikamaru's shadows.

'Maybe.' She said softly. From the corner of her eye she saw Ino smile. 'I love Konoha when it's peaceful...'


End file.
